Technology for SAR Canines

Wilchek, M., Wang, L., Dickinson, S., Feuerbacher, E., Luther, K., & Batarseh, F. A. (2025, March). KHAIT: K-9 Handler Artificial Intelligence Teaming for Collaborative Sensemaking. In Proceedings of the 30th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (pp. 925-937). https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3708359.3712107

#WorkingDogScience

Figure 1 from K9 study.

This was an exciting collaborative project exploring how augmented reality (AR) might be integrated into search and rescue (SAR) operations. How does this relate to my other work? While I don’t believe technology will replace canines in detection work anytime soon, I do believe it's important to stay forward-leaning when it comes to using technology to enhance canine performance and welfare.

We'd be shortsighted to assume dogs can do everything. There are real limits to their capabilities—whether environmental, physiological, or cognitive. If technology can help us identify those thresholds and extend operational capacity beyond them, then we're not replacing the dog—we're enhancing the overall system.

But to make that happen, there has to be mutual understanding. The technology teams need to understand the operational realities of SAR, and we in SAR need to engage with what’s possible from a technical standpoint. Matt, the first author on this paper, is deeply committed to developing tools that support—not hinder—handlers in the field. His goal is to provide actionable information that supports decision-making and contributes meaningfully to the common operating picture of the search environment.

Figure 5 from K9 study.